The goal of this program is to catalog any disk, drive, CD-ROM's ..., storing
directory/files structure in textfiles databases which can be searched for files
and folders without inserting/connecting the media.

Developed as an exercice to see how it is possible to build a useful application
under Microsoft Windows with DrScheme, it should work under Linux and MacOS
... (not really tested ... there must be problems I am not aware of !)

Before reading the following brief documentation, you should launch the presentation
by means of the Java Applet below, (click on the " Start " button
to begin !)

Notes on the user interface

The program uses splitter bars to optimize the layout of the panes in the
window. Just click and drag ...

Special keystrokes are used in the directories tree to move from node to
node :
Arrow keys up/down moves from one line to the previous/next,
Ctrl + arrow keys moves to the parent (left), child (right),
previous or next sibling (up or down)

In the "Search results" list, pressing "Enter" is equivalent
to double-click. The focus remains on the list to easily select another result
with the up/down keys.

Configuration file

Catalogs uses a configuration file named ".catalogs", which is located
in the same folder than the program.

This file is a scheme a-list :

(
; the folder containing the catalogs
; can be changed from the file menu
(catalogs-path "C:\\my catalogs/")
; the font size used by the interface
(ui-font-size 8)
; a flag to save a catalog "pretty-printed"
; easier to read, much slower to save or load !
(pretty-print-catalogs #f)
)

Catalogs files

These files are ordinary text files, containing a structured list representing
the directory structure and the filenames (with size and date)

They must be named with a ".cat" extension.

Easier to read by human if pretty-saved (see above) ; smaller, faster to
load if not ...

Download

A binary distribution for Windows is available here.
It is an installation program made with InnoSetup. To remove the program,
use control panel -> add/remove program
Nothing will hurt your system : files are only copied in the installation
folder.